


Collapsing and Coping

by justabitofdevineintervention



Series: Aurora Cycle One-Shots [7]
Category: The Aurora Cycle - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Genre: Could Be Canon, Other, canon scene in different pov, i love zila so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26725246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justabitofdevineintervention/pseuds/justabitofdevineintervention
Summary: Cat is gone, and Zila is not sure how she feels.-----All around her, the world is crumbling, she knows. And yet, none of that seems to be registering within her. Scarlett is in pieces, Tyler is trying desperately to hold himself together, Aurora, Kaliis and Finian all look as though they’ve gone into shock.
Relationships: Squad 312 - Relationship
Series: Aurora Cycle One-Shots [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934743
Kudos: 3





	Collapsing and Coping

Zila is...well, she’s not sure what she is at the moment. She’s not happy, but she’s not sad, either. She’s not angry, but she’s not calm, either. She’s not broken, but she isn’t whole. And she’s not full, but she’s certainly not empty.  
All around her, the world is crumbling, she knows. And yet, none of that seems to be registering within her.  
Scarlett is in pieces, destroyed utterly and completely.  
Tyler is trying desperately to hold himself together, although he’s just as broken as his sister.  
Aurora, Kaliis and Finian all look as though the world has been pulled out from under their feet.  
And Zila. Zila isn’t sure what she’s feeling. Around her, a conversation is taking place. She’s aware of it, but she isn’t paying attention.  
“It’d take a miracle,” Tyler says, and that gets Zila’s attention. The crew is silent. Zila takes a deep breath. She isn’t good at emotions, but she’s going to damn well try. For Cat, for Tyler, for Scarlett, and for everyone else. For herself.  
“Almost every particle in the universe was once a part of a star.” Her voice is soft, but in the silence, it feels deafening. “Every atom in your body. The metal in your chair, the oxygen in your lungs, the carbon in your bones. All those atoms were forged in a cosmic furnace over a million kilometres wide, billions of light-years from here. The confluence of events that led to this moment is so remote as to be almost impossible.” Zila’s hand finds itself on Tyler’s shoulder, and she shifts it around a little, unsure as to how to this specific touch works. “Our very existence is a miracle.”  
Tyler looks up at her, and for the first time, she sees how truly shattered he is by the loss of Cat. “What are you saying?”  
Zila meets his eye, determined not to look away. “I am reminding you of wisdom you have already shared with us.”  
“And that is?” He asks.  
“That sometimes you must have faith.”  
And in that moment, Zila knows what she is feeling. The situation is hopeless, and yet she is hopeful. Cat is gone, and yet she is still here, in the way that Scarlett and Tyler and everyone else moves. Zila is collapsing, but she is coping.


End file.
